To the Editor.—
Chondrodermatitis helicis, or painful nodule of the ear, is a common condition most often seen in middle-aged or elderly men. The disease is almost always seen in whites with reported cases in blacks being sporadic, at best. Its etiology and pathogenesis are uncertain, although several hypotheses have been proposed.We reported herein a case of chondrodermatitis helicis in a black man arising shortly after receiving radiation therapy for a brain tumor.
Report of a Case.—
A 50-year-old-black man presented to the dermatology clinic at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston, with the complaint of a tender lesion on the left ear. Five months earlier, a brain mass had been discovered by computed tomographic scan after the patient presented with neurologic symptoms. Craniotomy revealed a grade III to IV astrocytoma that was resected. Subsequently, he underwent a course of cobalt beam radiation therapy to the head during which